Several WNBA players have the chance to star in a new league this offseason. Unrivaled was founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier and features a unique full-court 3-on-3 format as well as high salaries for players. It adds a new dimension to professional women’s basketball by allowing players to compete in the U.S. during the WNBA offseason.
Unrivaled secured several big stars (besides Collier and Stewart) for its inaugural season, such as Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, Arike Ogunbowale, Jackie Young, and Angel Reese. That alone drew fans to the new league, and a month of exciting games has convinced them to stick around.
It hasn’t just been the big stars who have come to play, though. Some WNBA youngsters are currently excelling in Unrivaled and using the opportunity to showcase their skills.
3. Rickea Jackson
Rickea Jackson spent her rookie season in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks before suiting up for the Mist in Miami. Jackson started the season coming off the bench behind veterans Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, and Courtney Vandersloot. That changed quickly, and Jackson is now starting alongside Stewart and Loyd.
The Mist have only won two games so far, but Jackson is playing well. She currently averages the second-most points on the team behind only Stewart and also plays the second-most minutes. Across the entire league, Jackson ranks fourteenth in points per game.
Jackson also just won her first 1-on-1 matchup against three-time All-Star Jackie Young.
2. Aaliyah Edwards
Aaliyah Edwards is the other youngster on the Mist, and just like Jackson, she has played well so far. Edwards is currently averaging 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game as a solid presence off the bench. In the Mist’s first win of the season, Edwards scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in ten minutes on the court. She does not need much time to be impactful and put up solid numbers.
The biggest win for the youngster so far has been her 12-0 win over Breanna Stewart in the first round of the 1-on-1 tournament. She then also went on to defeat Allisha Gray in the next matchup. The Washington Mystics are still rebuilding but certainly have a great building block in Edwards if her performance in Unrivaled is any indication.
1. Kate Martin
Kate Martin did not get much playing time as a WNBA rookie with the Las Vegas Aces but is currently using Unrivaled to make a case for a bigger role with the Golden State Valkyries. The Valkyries selected Martin in the expansion draft in December, and she promises to be one of their key players in the 2025 WNBA season.
Martin is the lone youngster on a veteran-heavy Laces team but has still carved out a role for herself and is showing off her ability to be the perfect role player around a group of stars.
Martin may not put up huge numbers or make many flashy plays, but she does what is asked of her and can help her team win. She is currently averaging 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 11 minutes per game, doing a little bit of everything for her team.